Chronicles of Murdok
by Argoth
Summary: In the dark ages, a new gargoyle is embraced. Stripped of the memories of his life, he struggles with the pros and cons of unlife and the slavery into which he was born. Some violence and gore.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: You will notice there is no quoted dialogue in this portion of the story. It will be the same for the next few chapters I submit, as when I wrote them, I had forgotten the grammar rules for such things. The later chapters will contain quotes, I assure you. Bear with me, I'm too lazy to go back and edit all of this. I know this isn't an incredible work, but it's the best mess I've come up with over the years, so here you go. Enjoy Murdok's tale.

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**Cold Stone and Lost Memories**

My tale is one of slavery and suffering. Fate has been cruel to me, and my immortality has sometimes proven more of a burden than a blessing, though many would not believe me if I told them so. There is a sense of foreboding that I endure daily, though I cannot quite describe its source, and I have yet to come across whatever it is that causes me to feel this way. Perhaps there is someone of great power who seeks to harm me for reasons unknown. I would not exclude God from this possibility, but as of yet I have seen no evidence of His wrath, besides that which is rumored to have befallen Caine himself. I know only what my master has told me of Caine, and that is little. I question his very existence, though there must be a first vampire. If indeed this first creature of the night does still walk the earth, I cannot fathom the knowledge he must have gained over these long years. I wonder, also, if he has ever wished for a second death. I have wished it myself many times, but it never comes. I also fear it, though, for I do not have any recollection of my first death, just of the rebirth that followed. That, I can assure you, I would not live through again.

My mortal self is no longer a part of me. Somehow, in the turmoil of my being brought into this form, I seem to have lost it. My sire, though he knew much, could tell me nothing of it. I never bothered to ask my master, as he was always cruel and selfish. Any knowledge he had, he refused to share with me. It seemed, however, that Grimlok, my sire, had been in his service long enough to gain some of it. As for myself, I stole into his library occasionally and learned a few things. I have always wondered what sort of magic was at work in my veins. I have met other kindred, and no other group that I have seen has resembled us in any way, save the fangs set in their jaws and their lust for blood. My rebirth I remember in excruciating detail. I will not go into it, but I will tell you that having your flesh turned to stone can be a very painful process. I would only wish it on the foulest of beings, which makes me wonder what sort of person I was before I was transformed into this shape. Perhaps I was some kind of murderous fiend, or maybe I betrayed my country in a time of great need. I know not, and I fear it shall remain as such, for in my many years of wandering, I have not come across any evidence of my previous existence. I am beginning to dismiss the idea from my thoughts, as it tends to get in the way of more important matters on occasion.

As for my unlife, I can only express regret for the first few years, which I spent in the service of a man I will never hold any respect for. His name was Reinhardt, and the flesh on his bones concealed a beast whose torture I endured for decades. He used a sort of supernatural power that I wished I had never known of, as it became the stuff of nightmares. I do not recall some of the other few powers he exhibited on occasion, but the fire...oh I could never forget the fire. My body still shows some signs of the burns he caused, though few would actually notice due to the material I am made of. It was but a few days into my unlife that I first experienced the horror of the Tremere magic. I had always been afraid of fire. I was in the presence of torches and such every night, and at first I found myself running in fear every time I looked at one, but after the first couple of days I overcame it, though I still had an inner fear that never rested. One night, while I was still familiarizing myself with the castle as I had been instructed, Reinhardt emerged from one of the rooms in front of me. He told me to come with him, and I obeyed him, as had been my habit since I came into being. He took me into a dark chamber, where a stench overpowered me. I will never forget that smell, as it haunts my dreams to this day. Burned flesh is what it was, though I did not yet know that in my fledgling days. He shut the door behind him, and his face contorted into an expression I had never seen before. It frightened me, and in the torchlight it looked so menacing I would have thought he had made a deal with the devil and took on some of his features. He began chanting in a strange tongue, and after a second or 2 a flame appeared in his hand. I was startled by this and took a step back, but he instructed me to hold my ground, and so I did.

He moved his hand a bit and it grew larger, then he tossed it at me as if it was a child's toy. I screamed in pain as even my stone body was burned by this magical fire. No matter how much I slapped at it, it remained on me. By reflex, my then small wings even flapped to try to put out the searing flames, but to no avail. This went on for some thirty seconds, in which I felt such pain that I cannot describe it well enough for anyone who has not felt it to understand. Suddenly, it disappeared, and I fell to the floor, still writhing in agony from the burns I had sustained. He told me I would learn to shrug off this pain as if it were nothing, but at the time I didn't believe him. He left me there for some time, returning only to scoff at my wailing. It would be days before I returned to my full strength, and even then, the scars left on my body never fully healed. Grimlok explained to me that this was the master's way of training his guards, and that I truly would eventually be able to master my endurance to the point where even fire could not harm me. Reinhardt put me through this torture almost daily, but he was sure to leave me with enough stamina to heal myself. After a year or two, I did develop a resistance to the flames, but I could not shake the full force of its damage. In times of battle, I saw Grimlok take flaming arrows by the dozen without showing any signs of weakness, and I longed to have such strength. He taught me much about my abilities, and I soon began to master them, but the master was relentless. He would always find a way to harm me.

My love for the master was not always existent. There were small amounts of time in which I felt hate and utter loathing of him come over me, and I was on the verge of escape for many years. One night, I found my opportunity. Reinhardt left the castle for some sort of business, though we never knew what it was or where he went, and I happened to be in full control of myself at the time. I made sure he did not realize his error, and when he was gone, I sprang into action. My wings, though relatively small, were somehow able to carry me if I got a good start on the ground first, and I took to the skies. I thought perhaps I might have some luck, that perhaps my sire would also find it in himself to leave this horrible place, but he stayed behind, giving me but a nod in response to my look back at him. There were two others as well, but they remained at their posts as if they had no life in them. I vowed to one day return and liberate my brethren, but I did not know how long I might be away before I had the strength to do so.

**Freedom At Long Last**

I wandered the countryside for a long time, scared and confused. I had never been outside the castle walls before, and the world was vast beyond my imagining. I began to avoid the forests in my nights of exploration, as I had many times heard the cries of wolves within them, and they somehow sounded different than others. They sent a chill down my spine every time. Once, as I was flying above, I saw a huge form below me. I could not make out details, but it towered at least eight feet in height, and some of its features resembled those of a wolf. To this day I am not sure what I saw, but it looked up at me with gleaming red eyes and let out a howl I will never forget. It did not surprise me that such creatures existed. I decided that if a statue could live and have a consciousness, anything else I saw or heard rumors of was wholly possible. I saw many strange creatures in my travels, but always from the skies. After that night, I made the decision to walk as little as possible. Flight was always the faster way to go anyhow, and I enjoyed it. I still wonder, though, how my wings are able to carry me. I am not sure of my weight, but considering my composition, I'm sure I am quite heavy. Until recently, they have been disproportionately small, but it seems the more I use them, the larger they grow, and the greater my abilities become.


	2. Chapter 2

Some years later, I came upon a castle far from my original home. I wanted to see who lived there and perhaps find a new home, but I knew I must observe for a while first. I watched for a few nights, and I soon knew that it was a king who resided here. There were guards posted everywhere, but I was careful enough that they never saw me. On the third night I was there, I witnessed a slaughter, the likes of which I haven't seen since. Three creatures approached the castle in the early morning, but I could not make out exactly what they were. They had large claws and resembled animals in the way they moved, which led me to believe they bore some relation to the wolf-like being I had seen long ago, but they were nowhere near that size. They crept into the castle, and though the guards tried to stop them, they were relentless in their attack, and within minutes I heard no more screams. The silence was eerie and discomforting, but I stayed on out of curiosity. After a while, they came back outside and began devouring the bodies they had left in their wake, but it wasn't long before something else happened.

Several people came wandering out of the forest by the castle, dressed in clothing I did not recognize. One appeared to be quite young, and there was apparently a leader to this party. He was in front, walking with an air of pride I recognized from my days of servitude: Reinhardt had walked much like this. They were talking as they approached the moat, but I didn't recognize the language they spoke. It was somewhat like mine, but there were a great many words I did not know. The creatures inside heard this, and two of them sank into the ground. The other hid himself in the shadows, waiting. The leader of the new party made a motion and the chains of the drawbridge disappeared, causing it to fall. They crossed, and as they were surveying the surroundings, the creature came at them. I saw another person appear from out of the shadows within the party, but he was grotesque, reminding me somewhat of myself, but he was made of flesh. They fought, and two fell before the creature was vanquished. The party then went inside, and I stayed to watch for a few years after this incident. I decided these people were definitely not mortal. The leader used some sort of magic, which reminded me of earlier days, but I decided that perhaps all vampires of this nature were not like the master had been. After a while, I did not see the grotesque one anymore, but the young one spent her time in one of the towers, always watching.

Eventually, I decided I would try my luck with these vampires. I had come this far by trusting my instincts, and they now told me to take this chance, and so I did. The girl saw me as I approached, and she was the one who answered the front door when I knocked. She was startled by my appearance, but she bid me to enter. I spoke with the leader, who had now taken the place of the king here. He was indeed a user of magic as the master had been, but he seemed reasonable, and I offered my services in return for hospitality. Once again I found myself in the service of a Tremere, but I was not bound to this man, as he did not seek to enslave me. I spent some time familiarizing myself with my new home, which was somewhat smaller than Reinhardt's abode. I found it humorous that a king did not have a much larger place to live, but then again, the master had always been vain. I told the party about my plans to return and defeat my old master, and thatI wished to free the other gargoyles enslaved there. Damien, the Tremere, seemed to express a great deal of interest in dealing with this as soon as possible. As soon as I mentioned it, his face lit up like none I had ever seen before, but we had to wait for some time before we could embark on our journey. He had taken up the role of king here, and his rule was not properly established.

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Old Flames Extinguished**

Two years later, we left the castle for London. I had come to find out that I had wandered all the way to Italy, so our trip would take a month or two. We went to the nearby harbor, where Damien did something quite odd. He performed some sort of spell on the water, out of which a ship arose. I was astonished by this display, as I had never seen magic put to good use before now. He then gathered a crew, obviously using some sort of vampire power to do so, as they seemed in some sort of trance. We set sail, but unfortunately we would not make it to London without trouble. We were close when it happened, and the light from the city was on the horizon. The ship was suddenly rocked by some unseen force, nearly knocking me off my feet. I sprang from the cargo hold, where I had been staying, and the vessel was struck again, this time harder, and I lost my footing. I was back up in a split second, just in time to see an enormous serpent rise from the water.

Some of the others seemed helpless with their weapons: the serpent was easily a good fifteen or twenty feet from the ship. The girl nocked an arrow and fired upon it, but the arrow shattered on impact, and another vampire summoned shadowy tentacles to hit the monster. I spent this time getting airborne, but being absent-minded as I sometimes am, I took off toward the creature, and it struck me with such force that I was nearly knocked from the sky. I barely retained my composure, but I knew it would not be hitting me again. I struck it, using my small claws to dig into its scaly flesh. I got a good hit on it, but I knew it would take much more to take it down. I saw the others hide behind the masts, which I did not see as cowardice by any means, as they were powerless at such a range. Damien, however, found a method of hitting the beast. He used his magic to bend a mast over and bash it over the head, which did little damage, but at least it was an attempt. One of the others then made a large orb of shadow around the serpent, which frightened it, causing it to go to the other side of the ship. Damien seemed frustrated by this, and he bent the mast over to the other side, once again striking the creature, though it seemed unharmed by it. I had managed to hit the beast another time, but I did little. One of the other vampires then made a brave move: he ran up the bent mast, striking the creature with all his might. Its scaly skin was rent asunder by the force of his blow, and it fell into the water, emitting a shriek as it was vanquished. He fell also, and Damien constructed a ladder with his magic to help the vampire back up. The serpent's tail made one final strike at him, but he retained his footing and climbed up.

We docked in the bay there, and I told Damien where we needed to go. I hid myself with one of my powers, and we called for a coach to transport us to the castle, which was some distance outside of London near another village. Alas, this trip was also interrupted by something before we arrived. After a few hours, the carriage sped up suddenly, then caught on fire. We exited with much haste, and we were just in time to see a few mortals wielding bows fall to the ground, struck down by some unseen force. I took to the air, and I caught a glimpse of something flying past me, but I could not make it out. Suddenly, Damien was taken aback by some force, and the figure of a wraith appeared in front of him. It had its hand inside his chest, as if it were trying to rip his very soul from his body, and he was taken to a knee by the next blow. One of the others, Carlos I believe, struck it with claws I had seen the likes of before, long ago when these people had first appeared. The spirit vanished, and after Damien healed himself and we all fed, we continued toward Reinhardt's castle. We arrived in the early morning, and Damien wanted to have a chat with Reinhardt before we killed him. I reminded all of them that the gargoyles were not to be killed, and they went on their way. I stayed behind, as I would most definitely be recognized and attacked on sight. They returned some time later, and Damien said that he was told to return on the following night, so we found a place to stay.

The next night, they went in once again, and I watched from quite a distance. I longed to be in there, for I wished to take Reinhardt's unlife with my own clenched fists, but I had to wait. After a while, the others called to me, and I went to see what was the matter. When I inquired about the happenings of the last few minutes, Damien informed me that Reinhardt was indeed dead. I was disappointed that I had not been able to perform this task myself, but I thanked him nonetheless. We searched the castle for quite some time, but my friends were nowhere to be found. I fear they may have been taken by someone else, once again forced into slavery, but I have hopes that perhaps they escaped and found a place far from here to call home. We returned to Italy, once again by water, and another attack was made, this time by two of the sea serpents we had encountered before. I, however, was asleep in the hold when this happened. I regret not being able to help the others, as I later found out they were nearly defeated. We arrived home, however, and I returned to my usual vigil, keeping watch for any suspicious happenings about the castle.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Keep in mind that, from the beginning of chapter 2 until the end of this chapter, I am at the mercy of a storyteller who, to his credit, tries his best to make new things for us to experience. He took liberties with a lot of things, but all in all, we had fun. The only thing that really peeves me to this day is he ruined Murdok's encounter with Reinhardt, and someday I may very well go back and rewrite that to my liking. We shall see. In any event...here is the last chapter where someone besides me was in control of the story.**  
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**Mystery and Exile**

Damien left for about a decade to do some sort of research. His business was not mine, but I hoped he would return safely from wherever he went. During that time, the girl and I noticed the presence of a strange man clad in black. He wandered the exterior of the castle at random times, always disappearing into the woods nearby, but these visits ceased a few months before Damien returned. I informed him of the situation, and we were off for the woods almost immediately in search of the mysterious figure. After an hour or two, we came across a small shack contructed of nothing but dirt. I used my power to detect the presence of anyone inside, but I found noone, and we entered. There was basically nothing here. It seemed that whoever was using this shelter did not plan on staying for long. Some of us went back outside to wait for the resident to return, hoping that perhaps we could question him. Damien had performed some rather strange things before we got here, and I now witnessed the results: he walked up one of the nearby trees and perched himself quite far up. I flew up into another and kept an unblinking eye on the area, and before long, a figure came walking through the woods, heading straight for us. Damien jumped from his perch, landing in front of the strange man. He questioned him, but the man did not answer. Someone then tried to attack him, but they struck nothing, and the man disappeared. He reappeared but a split second later behind Damien, striking him with a sword that faded into thin air.

Carlos then struck him, but after this he once again disappeared. I had tried to hit him as well, but I missed, and I was the next to be slashed by this fiend. The battle went on like this for a short while, and eventually the man fell to the ground. Damien struck the ground with his hand and an inpenetrable barrier appeared around him. He emerged a few minutes later, seemingly stronger. He said he had taken the vampire's soul, and he was one step closer to Caine. We returned home after this, and our next twenty years were spent strengthening ourselves. Damien made childer, and we devoured them. I had never experienced such euphoria before, but I had heard tales of vampires taking the souls of other vampires, thereby strengthening themselves. I did this four times during these two decades, and I did indeed grow much stronger. We did not, however, think about the consequences of such actions. The villagers had taken note of the disappearance of so many of their friends and family, and they came for us shortly after the twentieth year ended. They told us we were to leave or be destroyed, and from the look of things, leaving was definitely the best choice. We were not strong enough to take so many people at once. Damien broke their bows and arrows, obviously just for amusement and effect, and then the castle began to crumble. There were five people in the crowd holding up their hands and chanting, and I no longer questioned their sincerity.

We gathered what we could and left our home. I was not so upset by this, as I had no possessions to lose, but Damien seemed to sink into a state of depression that lasted for a great while. I believe he felt he had failed in his role as leader, and it took its toll on him. I simply took my place pulling the wagon loaded with what things we had managed to take with us and carried on. We traveled for a day or two before we came upon our next dilemma.

**The Well of Altered Time**

It seemed to be but a small village at first glance, but as I flew over it, I was transported back to the beginning when I had reached the opposite edge. I informed the others, and we began stepping backwards, thereby escaping its hold. Taken by curiosity, however, we re-entered, figuring we could simply do the same thing again to get out, but this time our path was blocked by a pair of houses after we had entered. There were now ten of these, centered around a well. It was a strange place indeed, but we had not seen the full extent of its effects yet. Soon, a man stepped forth from a house in front of us, simultaneously accompanied by nine copies of himself stepping from each other house. He told us that if one were to stay in a house here for one night's time, the same thing would happen to us. He was a vampire, and he said that he had not felt the need to feed since he had been staying here, but we did not feel like being trapped inside this place.

He went back inside, and we began trying all sorts of experiments to escape the effects of the area we had wandered into. Damien burned down all of the houses, and we saw nothing more of the vampire who had been here after they were gone. We were here for two months time, though I do not think time on the outside progressed quite the same as here. The well was the center of whatever spell was at work here, and Damien spent long hours down there trying to figure out what to do. The rest of us tried various things, but I myself was too large to fit into the well. I spent most of my time just standing over it, watching to see if a discovery was made. One night, Damien came out of the well holding a bucket full of a reddish water, which he then walked off with. He disappeared into the trees and did not return. The rest of us eventually did something of the same nature, the girl and myself being the last, as I required help to get any of this special water, and we escaped.

We are now heading toward a land that Damien calls China, where none of us have ever been. I have no idea what to expect anymore, as we have run into so many odd things on our travels. I can only hope we are strong enough to defeat any adversary we are faced with, and resourceful enough to overcome any challenge that befalls us. I find myself filled with a sense of adventure, the likes of which I haven't felt before. I still sometimes get that old feeling of foreboding, though it usually passes rather quickly. I fear that I may still have an enemy somewhere in this world, or perhaps in another, and I am doing what I can to prepare myself for whatever may come my way. My strength grows with each passing night, and I can only hope I do not falter when the time comes for me to face my fear.

**Trial By Fire**

For some time, I had felt tension in our party, and not long after we had left the strange well it manifested itself in violence. We were traveling along somewhat of a trail set not far from the coast, and I was rather enjoying my flight as usual. I practiced swooping down and slashing at trees and whatnot, honing my skills for any battles we might encounter. My wings had grown quite large at this point, and if I stood completely erect, they scraped the ground behind me. I found that I could create quite a gust of wind by simply flapping them, and I planned on using this against our next foe. Knocking it on its hindside would put me at a great advantage. Anyhow, I was flying above the trail, watching over the rest of the party while keeping an eye on the areas around us as well as I could. I was concentrating on an upcoming group of trees when I heard Damien yell out one of his strange words, and this was followed by a cry of pain from Carlos. When I looked down, Carlos was engulfed in flames, running toward the sea in an effort to extinguish them. He made it about halfway when he collapsed, turning into a pile of ashes and blowing away in the wind. I found myself very frightened at this sight. If it had not been for the calmness of the others, I would have flown away for fear of falling victim to such a fate myself. I landed and asked what had happened, and Damien told me that Carlos had refused to swear allegiance to him and the party, and then refused to leave, even under threat of death...so death he received, swift and painful.

It was at this point I began to crave the lonely life I had once lived. It surprised me to feel that way, but perhaps it was better that I took my own path. I had friends who had disappeared without a trace, and Damien had his ambitions to follow. The others followed him without question, and I had great respect for him and his followers, but I felt my sense of duty toward him faltering. Risking my own life for something that would not gain me anything but a meaningless second death began to appear ridiculous to me. I felt that I needed to make my own story.

**Parting Ways**

It was a week later, after much thought and consideration, that I made my decision. I think Damien had known somehow, though I can't say how. He had his ways I suppose, but he made no move to hinder my thoughts, if he had such power. I remember that night very well, as it was the last time I ever saw any of them. We had stopped to rest for a bit, and I asked for the attention of the party, for I had some news to share. I told them that I had decided to depart on a quest of my own. I had brethren to find, and I intended to do it alone, as I felt it was my duty to do so. I thanked them for their help in ridding the world of my hated master, though I would have savored the pleasure of taking his unlife with my own hands. I also thanked them for taking me in when I needed shelter, and for the lessons I had learned by their side. I told Damien I wished there was something I could give him for showing me that not all Tremere were such horrible vampires, but I had no possessions of my own. He said that I had paid my dues in servitude and blood, as far as he was concerned. My services were appreciated, and he wished me the best. The girl seemed sad to see me go. She wanted so much to learn flight, but I had not the power to give such a gift. I did, however, take her into the skies a few times, once I had the strength to lift her. She had potential that I don't think even Damien saw. Always eager to learn and fearless in battle. As I pondered these things, I bid them all farewell. I hoped that we would cross paths again, but it has never come to pass. I took to the skies again, and when I looked back one last time, the girl was waving vigorously. I hovered there and gave a bow to them, then I turned away, finally taking my life into my own hands again. It was a grand feeling.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Now begins the rest of the journey, where I make up the story myself. I know these updates are kind of short, but given the amount of material I have, and the fact that I'm not finished writing it, I want to stretch it a bit. Also, this one may be shorter, because it contains a big plot point, and the next section is one of my favorites, so I'm saving it for the next update.**  
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**The World of Darkness**

The enjoyable sensation I had felt when I left the party lasted for about two weeks, in which time it slowly diminished from a blazing inferno to hardly the flicker of a candle. I began to feel discouraged and alone, and I felt that perhaps I had made a mistake going out on my own, but there was no turning back. I didn't remember which direction I had come from, and the party would be long gone by now. I hadn't known where we were going, I was just following along. One thing about being by myself was that I had plenty of time to improve my abilities, which were becoming quite impressive as of late. After a great deal of practice, I learned how to turn myself into a lifeless statue during the day so that the sun would not cause me harm, but I sometimes wondered if there was much of a poing to it here since it would be quite odd to find a gargoyle in the middle of a forest. I began to get into the habit of digging myself a hole and covering up with dirt so I wouldn't be seen by any travelers that happened by. I was already taking a grave risk being in forests, or even out in the wilderness, by myself. Damien had warned me of the other creatures who stalked the night, even though he hadn't needed to: I had, after all, seen one myself. The image still lingered in my head, but I pressed on. Other than for the purpose of sleeping or feeding upon animals I found, I kept myself aloft, not just for the purpose of staying safe, but because it was a much faster way to travel. I found that I could cover a thousand miles in a night if I flew the whole way. I didn't really keep going in the same direction all the time because I didn't really know where I needed to go anyhow, but I did make sure I wasn't flying in circles.

Werewolves was what Damien had called these other creatures. He said that he himself had never run across one, but even as powerful as he had become, he feared them. He had told me that just one could easily make quick work of 4 or 5 vampires if they didn't know what they were doing, and I believed him. Apparently they hated vampires without exception and would stop at nothing to destroy one if the opportunity presented itself. The more I pondered this, the more frightened I became of them. Still, I thought that if my aerial maneuvers were kept sharp, I might have a fighting chance if I happened upon one. Otherwise, I knew that I could easily escape, because it seemed that they were strictly earthbound. I hoped I was correct on this matter at least.

My journey took me over many lands. I saw great castles and cities, but I never felt the presence of the ones for whom I was searching. I had developed my mental discipline to quite an extent now, and I found that I could see far beyond the point at which my physical vision played out. Once, I think I had even stumbled across a vampire that Damien had referred to in passing as Dracula. He had warned me to steer clear of him, however. Apparently he wasn't the type to welcome visitors, and his powers were far beyond our reach and largely unknown. I wasn't sure if he was the owner of the castle I flew over, but it was rather ominous in appearance and very isolated. I wondered if perhaps he was deep in the sleep of ages that we vampires sometimes needed, but I didn't think I wanted to chance it. I quickly dismissed the thought. Such power-hungry lusts would surely lead to my untimely demise if not kept in check. Sometimes I had felt that Damien would fall victim to such a fate.

**A Castle in the Sand**

One night, a year or two after my departure from the party, my mental senses caught the familiar feeling of a vampire presence. I thought it rather odd, as I was flying over a seemingly endless expanse of desert, and my curiosity compelled me to investigate. I wondered how a kindred would be surviving out here, since I had seen little or no animal activity since I had entered the area. There were no creatures large enough to sustain one of us out here, and even if there were, they would surely be few and far between. I followed my senses for many miles before something caught my eye. Down below, there was a small spot where the sand looked like it had been recently disturbed. I landed here, and upon further inspection I found what appeared to be a panel of stone roughly the size of my hand. I felt of it, and when I did, it pushed downward. I heard the sound of stone against stone, and when I looked to my side a doorway-shaped hole was developing in the sand. After a few seconds, there was a full sized door in the ground, and I peered inside. I saw only darkness, but I had not forgotten my rather helpful abilities, and I laid my hand on the doorway. Inside my head I saw something which was really quite amazing: there was a castle here, nestled underground in the middle of a desert. I saw that there were four beings here, all of them vampires and in perfectly good health. If it had been beating, my heart would have jumped in my chest, for I recognized three of them. Grimlok was here, for one. This was the most exciting thing of course, but the others were here as well. They were moving within the walls, surely guarding this fourth vampire, who I did not recognize.

I sense that this fourth was powerful, but not beyond my abilities. Underground, however, I would have to resort to different tactics. I hesitated to step inside, for I knew that the gargoyles would sense my presence immediately and respond post haste. I did not wish to fight them, so I would need to avoid them and get to the master first. Once he was dead, the gargoyles would come to their senses. I decided I would wait until he was far enough away from them and in the correct position for me to strike. I sat outside for hours, touching the doorway and waiting for the opportunity to present itself. I would be swift, and there would be no mercy.

Sometime during the night, the fourth vampire wandered into a room in the castle where I had noticed the gargoyles never entered on their patrols. I pondered this for a moment and soon I had the answer: it was his library. Foolish Tremere, always hoarding their knowledge and not trusting anyone else with it but themselves. I moved inside and became part of the wall. Luckily, the library was one of the rooms close to the entrance. Movement through stone is quite slow and tiresome, and if there had been too far to go, I surely would have been caught. I moved in for my attack. The vampire was situated close to one of the walls, where I assumed he was rummaging through his bookshelves. I came out directly in front of him, shoved my hand through the bookshelf and grabbed him by the head, pulling him through it and bashing his skull against the wall. He was yelling for help, but it was too late for him. It took me less that 10 seconds before he stopped screaming, and just to make sure he was dispatched, I twisted his head from his shoulders with considerable ease. I tossed the head, which was now little more than half of its original self, onto the floor beside me. There was a pile of splinters and books where I had emerged from the wall, and all of it was soaked in blood. My hunger for it nearly overcame me, but I suppressed it for the time being. There would be time to feed later.

Soon I heard stony footsteps in the hallway leading to the library. They stopped outside, and shortly afterward three gargoyles came forth from the walls beside the door. Surprisingly, they did not look shocked in the least. Grimlok was smiling, and a similar expression soon spread across my own face. I asked him where they had gone before Reinhardt's life was taken, and he said they had escaped earlier that night. They had no idea I had been a part of the whole thing, but he somehow guessed it, and they had planned to find me. They had managed to find where I was, but by the time they reached the castle, we had been sent into exile already. After that, they simply went wandering, as I had been doing. They were taken captive by the owner of this underground castle, but the fool never bound them to him. They were plotting to take him out the very next night, but I had taken care of him for them. Grimlok was impressed with my skills, but I knew he was still much stronger than I.

I asked if they would join me in my travels, but Grimlok refused my offer, and not without some hesitation. He said that we would be better off apart, and that we should all go our seperate ways. Those of us who had telepathic abilities could keep track of the others, but our communication by such means should not be frequent, and should be kept brief for purposes of keeping ourselves secret to prying minds. We all knew of our weakness, being extremely susceptible to manipulation and control by others because of what we were created for, and we would take care not to let it be exploited. After a few hours of discussion, we decided it was time for us to break fellowship and go forth into the world on our own. I gladly fed upon my kill, taking his very soul in the process. A surge of knowledge hit me, and in it I saw how he had been feeding. It involved some sort of magic, which I suddenly knew the basics of myself, but I rejected this power as soon as it came to me. I wanted no part of the Tremere sorcery which had been used for so much evil.

After this was done, we said our goodbyes, and when we were all outside, I closed the door and destroyed the panel which opened it, ensuring that this haven would never be used again. We turned, backs to each other, to the four points of the compass, and took to the skies. I never looked back, as this would become my custom when saying goodbye to someone I would likely never see again. I was headed south myself, into yet another part of the world I had not seen, and my sense of adventure was once again burning as it had some time ago. Yet, there was still a cold twinge of fear and foreboding in my head, and it grew more prominent as the days wore on. My day of reckoning was growing near.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Alright, so here's the big fight. Yes, I realize the fiend violates the usual standards of werewolves being territorial, and I also realize that Murdock beating one on his own is nigh impossible, but this is a story after all. I've taken a lot of liberties with things, but hey, I think it's turned out pretty well so far, regardless of the lack of reviews. I also know that there is still no dialogue in this chapter, and that is still to come. The latter parts do have quotes and such. Anyhow, here it is. Enjoy the adventure.**  
**

**Welcome to the Jungle**

I traveled at a leisurely pace, and soon I began to see green at the edge of the sand. Before long, the desert became a vast plain, and there were animals here that I had never seen the likes of before. I wished I knew their names, but my education was limited. If there was one thing I eventually intended to do, it was to do some gathering of knowledge. This plain began to grow dense with trees the farther south I went, and soon it was completely covered in them. I couldn't see below them. It was as if someone had taken a huge green blanket and covered the land in it. My curiosity was beginning to get the best of me, and I flew down into the trees, even though my instincts told me that I may be digging my own grave. Something was down there...I felt it. Unfortunately for me, hours later when I found out what I sensed, I was nowhere near prepared for it. I wandered in this forest for most of the night, and I heard all sorts of strange noises and saw the most amazing creatures. Naturally, none of them would come anywhere near me. The second I drew any closer than about forty yards or so, they would recede into the darkness. After some time, I noticed that there were deep growls and snarls mixed with the plethora of noises in the forest. At first I thought nothing of it, because I had seen animals large enough to emit such menacing sounds, but it began to sound angry, even furious. Whatever it was, I was sure that it was me that it was angry with. I had wandered into something's territory, but surely I had nothing to fear from any mortal creature. Still, a fear welled up in me, and try as I might, I couldn't suppress it. My thoughts turned to the horrible thing I had seen so long ago, tearing through a forest somewhere in a land far from here. If my heart still beat in my chest, it would have ceased. I was being hunted, and my hunter...was a werewolf.

As if it were cued by this realization, the thing let out a howl that I would never forget. It would haunt my dreams for the rest of my unlife, if I had one. I heard a loud snapping and shattering sound to my right as a tree was reduced to little more than a pile of splinters, and before me stood a towering being, eyes glowing crimson with a fury which had no equal. Even though I had done nothing to it, this creature hated me with such a passion that I could never fathom. It snarled, baring a mouthful of hideously sharp teeth, still wet with the blood of a meal it had enjoyed recently. It made its first hit, but before I knew what had happened, it had landed a great many more. Within the space of little more than three seconds, I had been hit at least a dozen times, and I must have been thrown through a good twenty trees before I finally hit the ground, writhing in pain. It took all of my will to get on my feet and face my adversary. For the first time in many years I was pitted against something that could easily make quick work of me if I let it. I let out a snarl of my own and jumped at the werewolf, digging my claws into it wherever I could land a blow. I didn't get too many hits in before the next flurry, but this time I was prepared, and I dodged a good number of its slashes and bites, using tree trunks and branches as stepping stones to get myself higher. Most of the trees in the area had been obliterated by our fighting, and so I ran around the edges, leaping from tree to tree, higher and higher, but the beast was hot on my tail. It was frightening to see something so large have such agility.

When I had reached a decent height, I sprung out into the newly made clearing and took flight. I was hit a couple of times on my way up, but my injuries were still minor. If there was one thing I could do well, it was to take hits. Stone skin is good for that sort of thing. I began flying around the edges of the clearing, swooping in for a hit from time to time, but this was very difficult. The creature was moving through the trees with such ease that it was mind-boggling. It slashed and bit at me as I flew, and its reach was much greater than mine. After about thirty seconds of this, I had an idea. It didn't take me long to find what I was looking for, and I dove down to the ground and grabbed a rather large piece of a tree trunk, at least as long as I was tall. It was sharp at both ends from being broken so violently, and large splinters stuck out from it like barbs: quite a decent weapon if I do say so myself. I carried it up into the air, the werewolf clawing at my backside all the while. When I had gotten about fifteen feet up, I began flying in circles around the clearing, keeping ahead of the monster by just a hair's breadth. I could feel the wind from its blows lashing against my feet. For a moment I sped up to get a little more distance between us, and then I turned toward my foe, grinning at it as its face contorted into an expression of agony. The sharp wooden pole I held in my hands was plunged through its chest, and large chunks of its flesh hung from the barbs on the other end. I let go of my weapon and the creature fell from its perch, hitting the ground with a loud thud, pulling at the tree trunk buried in its body. I grabbed another one of these convenient tools and flew about fifty feet up, then I came down upon the terrible and blood-soaked enemy beneath me. It let out a final roar before I drove my weapon through its head and deep into the earth. It lurched upward, then fell back and made not another sound. Death had come for this beast, and I had introduced it personally.

I sat down beside my vanquished enemy, staring at it and wondering how I had managed to take it out by myself. Damien had told me that these things were very capable of decimating a small group of vampires, and I believed him. If I had not been so resilient or swift, I would have surely met my demise there that night. My sense of fear was gone now, and it never returned. I truly believed that this had been none other than the werewolf I had seen so long ago, but I wasn't sure if they were also capable of living as long as we did. That particular one may have very well been dead some time back, but I could never know for sure. What I did know was that this night would be forever known to me as my defining moment. If there was something I needed to do to prove myself as a warrior, this was far above and beyond it. I sat there for awhile, and then I began to feel tired as the sky started to lighten. I buried myself in the ground and sank into a deep slumber. I had decided that now was the time to go into the long and well-deserved vampire sleep of torpor. When I awoke, the world had moved on, and I was in for some surprises.

**A New Age**

I emerged from the earth refreshed. I had no idea how long I had been asleep, but the trees that had grown around me told the tale. The clearing was no longer a clearing. It was once again part of a dense forest, and the monster I had fought was nowhere to be found. Judging from my surroundings, I could have been asleep for centuries. Having learned my lesson in wilderness wandering, I climbed up and out of the trees, once again flying above them in the safety of the skies...but soon I would find that even the air was not as safe as it had once been. I was high above the treetops, enjoying the strength that my rest had brought me, when I heard a strange sound. It was sort of a deep buzz or hum of some sort, and it grew louder by the second. Up ahead I saw lights blinking in the air, but this was impossible. How could there be any lights up here besides the stars? And why were they moving toward me? Soon I saw a peculiar object emerge from the darkness. It was some sort of flying thing, and the lights were attached to it. On its front, there was something like a very rapidly spinning windmill, which was surely the source of the sound I heard. I broke my hypnotism just in time to dip below it, and it moved upward at the same time. It was not a creature of any sort, but more like something built by men. I had seen simple machines such as catapults and wagons, but something that could _fly_? This was absolutely incredible, and it made me feel somewhat angry, for the humans had intruded upon yet another place where only certain animals and creatures like myself felt at home. I would destroy it.

I flew behind the machine, and when I had reached it, I tore the back end of it clean off. I heard screams come from inside of it, and it occurred to me that there were people in it, perhaps operating it. They would not survive the fall that had now begun. I watched it plummet into the trees below, and there was a bit of an explosion when it hit. The forest caught fire and began to burn, but I cared not. Humans making flying machines...how absurd this was! I wondered what other things the mortals had come up with during my sleep, and I was also curious as to how we vampires were faring in this new world. Surely those who had been awake had adapted accordingly, but I had to find some of them before I fell victim to some sort of new devilry. About an hour after I had the encounter with the flying machine, I spotted a town on the coast nearby, and it glowed with light that surely did not come from candles. Had mortals discovered a sort of magic? I didn't know, but I needed someone who did, and fast. I tuned my mind in the fashion I had used before to find other kindred, and I was surprised to find a great many of us scattered throughout the area. There was a congregation which had formed in an alleyway, and I landed nearby and crept toward them, using my camouflaging ability to keep from being seen. I wanted to make sure these were the type of vampires I wanted to be in contact with. As I got closer, I could hear them talking, and I recognized the distorted form of english in which they spoke: it was much like what I had heard coming from Damien and some of his cohorts. Their clothing was also quite like what that particular party had been wearing when they entered the castle for the first time. I began to form a conclusion in my mind, but I tried not to let it cloud my thoughts in such a sensitive time.

I stood and listened, and even though I couldn't make out all of what they were talking about due to the dialect they used, I understood that they were plotting some sort of thievery, but they were having a hard time deciding which one of them should go in first to "scope the place out" as they put it, which to me meant spying. I decided to make my entrance here, and I tapped one of them on the shoulder, still using my uncanny concealment skill, and he wheeled around so quickly I was afraid he would fall down. He looked frightened, as well he should be, for to him he was looking at nothing but the darkness of the alley. I asked if I might be welcomed into their group if I helped in their endeavor. The others turned, hearing this, and most of them looked quite alarmed. One, however, seemed as if he knew exactly what was going on, then I realized he was looking directly at me. He quieted the group and called me out of hiding, saying that he could see me regardless of my efforts to hide myself. I allowed myself to become visible, which caused yet more alarm to the rest of the group. Obviously they had never seen a living statue before, and I let out a short laugh. The one who had seen me also laughed a bit, and he told the others that there was no reason to be afraid, that this was simply another kind of vampire, not some monster.

I gave a bow and introduced myself as Murdok, child of Grimlok, of the gargoyle bloodline. The obvious leader of this group was smiling, apparently impressed with something, though I didn't know what. As if he had read my mind, he stated that I must be quite old to be using such a dialect, and to have such large wings, because he knew a lot about our kind. I told him that I was probably indeed quite old, but I wasn't sure how long I had been sleeping. I informed him that the last time I knew of a year, it was 1573, but I knew that I must have slept long, for I woke up refreshed beyond anything I had ever felt. He smiled, and then he said that it was the year 1998. I was taken aback by the realization that I had been sleeping for not one century, but _four_! He said that he knew what I had come looking for, and that he could offer it to me in any form I wished. There were books, of course, and other than that, he spoke of things called computers, which were capable of holding the contents of many books, and then there were always verbal sources, and something he called movies, which he did not explain. I told him I would accept anything he had. Little did I know that I would spend the next three years studying.

**Knowledge at Long Last**

My journey into the time of my slumber began with reading. I spent my nights at a library, which my newly found comrade had established control over many years ago. I did not delve into the section titled "Fiction", for I planned to learn only of historical things for the time being. These works of the imagination would be good for entertainment, but they held none of the precious knowledge I sought. At first I felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of books here, but when I considered the fact that I had an unlimited amount of time on my hands, it wasn't so bad after all. My occasional outings were simply to quench my thirst for blood, after which I returned to my studies, feeding my mind with written words. I learned of many wars that I had missed, and of other lands across the great seas that I had once believed to be endless. Even now, knowing of these foreign countries, I doubted that I would have the opportunity to visit them, for how could one such as me gain passage on any vessel bound for them? I could fly, granted, but I still needed shelter from the sun when it came, and the open sea certainly didn't seem to be an ideal area to find such accomodations. Some of the places I had already traveled through had been problematic for me, forcing me always to bury myself in the earth to rest while the days passed above me, and from the science books I had read, I knew that taking shelter beneath the sea was impossible, even for one made of stone such as I. The pressure would surely crush me.

I read about the flying machines like the one I had encountered while traveling here. I counted myself lucky for not having run into one of the faster and much more dangerous jet aircraft. I had found a book all about them, and I had also located many movies about them. I became fascinated with the concept of technology, which had come quite far just in the past century. Motorized carriages, known as automobiles, or cars, were the main mode of transportation these days, and boats had undergone a great deal of improvement as well, making ocean travel a popular form of recreation. This was hardly the case before my long slumber. If I were to travel back into my previous time and tell someone that sailing the open sea was fun, they would have surely laughed. There was now little manual labor involved in this field, as most of the calculations and even a great deal of the navigation and steering was done by computers, which, it seemed, had taken over a great many of the tasks men once did themselves. They were amazing machines, but I wondered if humans might be relying on them a little too much. There were many of these in the library, and I learned how to use them, though it did take a great deal of time, even with my new friend's help. I supposed he could have taught me quicker if I hadn't been asking so many questions, but I simply had to know how and why everything worked, and he seemed to know everything there was to know. He told me every detail, and I absorbed it. Before long, I was quite the expert on all of the things I read about, for my memory never failed me.

I also learned of the advent of firearms, which made the swords and axes of my time seem almost useless. These remarkable devices used small amounts of explosives to fire projectiles at incredible speeds, and with amazing accuracy, provided that the operator had some degree of skill in aiming them. I had never used weapons in the past, but I was interested in having some experience with these contraptions called guns. My friend, who I found out was named Grant, had considerable skill firing guns at targets, even those that were moving at a good speed, and he taught me what he could, but he told me that most of my abilities would come with experience, as had everything else I had ever learned. At least one night per week, I would take a break from "brain-cramming", as Grant had come to call it, and head to the firing range that he had set up for us. I became quite good at hitting targets, but still I needed real experience. Since nobody here knew me yet, I had no enemies, and therefore I had no quarrels with anyone. I was confident, though, that I could take on nearly any foe, should they choose to attack me.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: In my opinion, the story is about to get a lot better. I think my writing has improved some, and you will see dialogue in this chapter. Note that during this time, I had gotten into some stories by H.P. Lovecraft, and that lent to the dark and forboding atmosphere of the coming portions. The journey continues...

**Ongoing Studies**

I studied a bit on religion, as it had changed a great deal since my time. It seemed that there had been many splits, and christianity was now composed of a considerable number of denominations. My sire had always told me that religious people were dangerous to our kind, for they could destroy us with little effort. Faith was apparently a very powerful weapon against us, and I steered clear of the godly folk. I wasn't much for dealing with mortals anyhow. My appearance would frighten them before I could speak. I asked Grant about these religious people, and he said that they weren't so dangerous anymore. Their numbers compared to the general population had dwindled, and their faith was faltering. This comforted me somewhat, but I wasn't sure it was a good thing. If there was a God, and people stopped believing in him, what would happen to the world?

I did a bit of research on entertainment, as it had become quite an industry as of late. I watched a few movies that Grant recommended I see, and I was impressed with the realism of some of them. Computers played a big part in entertainment, I found out, as well as they did in almost everything else now. Many of the mortals were frightened that computers would eventually take over, but such fears have a weak foundation. Once I found out about the power of an EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse), I knew there was no danger of any electrical device taking over the world.

I discovered much in my studies that I will not mention at the moment, simply because I don't feel the need for such detail, but I will say that by the time I was done, I knew everything I needed to know.

**Something Lost, Something Gained**

I took my leave from the city later that year. I thanked Grant for his hospitality and his assistance in my quest for knowledge, and then, without much hesitation, my adventuring began once again. Time was somewhat uneventful for a few weeks, but one evening I awoke in a location I didn't recognize. I had not gone to sleep here, and the climate was completely different from where I was before. I couldn't begin to guess how I had gotten there. It seemed I had a very vivid dream, but it was slipping away quickly, as dreams tend to do. I had a vague memory of some strange creatures, and visions of a man who had a lame leg but was very young…and used some sort of magic. Before I could gain any benefit from these memories, they were gone. I was frustrated, but perhaps I would find out what had happened at some later date. After all, it seemed I had eternity to search for answers.

I noticed I was wearing some sort of amulet. It looked to be made of onyx, but where I got it was a mystery to me. It was quite a simple looking thing, and I soon began to accept it as a lucky charm of sorts. The funny thing was I was scared to lose it, as if it held some sort of power that I didn't know about. I spent some time pondering over it, but I came up empty. Also, I had felt a bit stronger when I awoke than when I went to sleep, as if I had been training…but how could I train in my sleep, and besides, become noticeably stronger in but one night? Impossible at my age and experience. I was puzzled, but I soon gave up on the matter.

After a bit of observation and searching about, I discovered that I was somewhere in a large mountain range. The place had an ominous quality to it, and it was covered in a fairly dense fog. I seemed to have some recollection of information about an area like this that I couldn't quite bring to the surface. I decided to travel on foot until I remembered what it was, lest I pass up some opportunity I would regret after flying hundreds of miles. I found a small path nearby, and I began following it. It wound through the mountains, going higher and higher, and before I had reached any sort of destination, dawn was approaching. I decided to take shelter in the rocks strewn about the area, but I put some distance between my resting place and the path, in case a traveler might come along and sense me. Just before I began the process of merging with a stone, I heard a shrill laugh coming from what seemed to be every direction simultaneously. I searched around for as long as I could spare, but I neither saw nor heard anything else. It was obvious that I wasn't alone here.

I took my rest, and when I awoke, the fog was even thicker than it had been the night before. My mind tried to make some sort of connection with the fog and something else, but it was gone in a mere fraction of a second, leaving me once again frustrated with the state of my thoughts as of late. I continued down the path, somewhat apprehensive, but my curiosity and sense of adventure drove me onward.

**An Ancient Evil**

The laughter I had heard the night before came again several times, echoing through the mountain passes as if it were simultaneously from many entities, but in perfect unison. I had encountered many strange and frightening things before, but for the first time in many years, I was afraid. I had never heard such a thing before, and it sent chills down my spine like nothing I'd felt in my entire existence. Whatever was making that awful noise either found me very amusing or was completely mad, and my instincts told me it was most likely the latter. I'd never dealt with madness or insanity before, and so the concept of being hunted by something in this condition brought me great discomfort. I hoped that perhaps it would lose interest, but the longer I traveled, the more I doubted that idea. It occurred with great frequency each night I continued my climb, and on the third night, I beheld a castle built into the peak of the mountain the path was currently leading up.

There were no lights visible, but I felt that something was living there nonetheless, and that I was being watched by it from afar. I felt a prying in my mind at times, and I was powerless to avert it. My fear grew with every step, but I kept my course and composure, sure that I could overcome whatever challenge lay ahead within the walls of that ancient edifice. The laughter had ceased whenever the castle came into view, but its silence frightened me all the more. I cautiously made my way up the remainder of the path, and then through the gates. One of these had long since completely fallen off its hinges, while the other hung precariously by its lower one, creaking in the wind that blew incessantly in these mountains. They were obviously quite ornate and beautiful at one time, but had fallen into decay from countless years of wear. The area within the outer wall was mostly barren, but gnarled trees stood in various spots, appearing to reach toward me with their leafless and weathered branches. The castle looked as if it hadn't been tended to in centuries. Stones from the walls lay about at random, and rusted fragments of what were once iron bars were strewn in areas above which windows gaped like dark eyes. If ever there was a foreboding place, this was it.

As my gaze passed over one of these staring arches, I saw a wisp of mist move away quickly, and I knew that I was soon to meet whatever creature inhabited this forsaken abode. I approached the door, which was one of the few things still intact, and upon which a large knocker was mounted, bearing the face of a dragon with eyes of a red crystal. This decoration appeared new, and I was suspicious of it. I reached out to use it, and the knocker receded into the mouth slowly. The eyes blazed as if flames burned within, and the mouth opened, revealing teeth sharper than any I had yet seen. The thing roared at me, and I cringed as smoke began to pour from its nostrils and an orange glow appeared in its throat. Fire leapt at me, and though I managed to keep myself from running mindlessly as vampires are wont to do in the face of such things, I jumped back a few feet. The dragon's head melted and fell to the ground in a heap, smoldering there as I gathered myself.

Some sinister force was at work here, though its source had not yet been made known to me. I pushed the door and it fell in with a great crash, splintering into several pieces and stirring up a great cloud of dust from the floor. The interior of the castle was completely dark, save for the beams of moonlight filtering through the windows and cracks, and I focused my sight, piercing the darkness as if it were never there. It was a complete shambles. On the floor in the center of this huge room was a chandelier, surrounded by pieces of crystal that had come from it. The two staircases leading up to the floor above were all but destroyed, and the landing had fallen in. A portrait was lying nearby, but it was torn and tattered and I could make nothing of it. I wandered about the room, finding no evidence that anything had moved in here for an age, except from maybe the wind that howled through the walls. I heard a scraping noise upstairs and, not being able to locate a cause by looking, I used my ability to see the layout of the building, which would also allow me to see any living or undead creature in it. I had never seen anything like this: the entire place appeared to contain life, but I could discern no definite source of it, and certainly every fabric of it that I could see simply advertised death overall. I quit using this power, for it was no good to me here.

I had observed one interesting thing while I could see the inner layout of the castle: there was a cellar, but it was only accessible through a hidden door in one of the walls. Actually this was no longer so, for there was a hole in the floor which would send someone directly down to it. I decided to make my way down there to investigate further. I walked over and jumped into the hole, hovering down so as not to make much noise, and landed on a very odd surface. It crunched underneath me, and I looked down to see that the entire floor was littered with bones of various shapes and sizes. This would not have struck me as all too odd, but some of them were in such peculiar shapes that nature could not have been responsible. As I looked further, I noticed that the walls were decorated with sculpted ornaments, but upon closer inspection, I discovered they were made of bone. They were actually bent and shaped into these things, and I could not figure how such a thing could be accomplished. Surely I had encountered nothing like this before, but I did not have much time to ponder on it, for I noticed a black mist filtering through the cracks in the walls, and I backed up as it hissed its way into the cellar. As I watched, it began to gravitate toward the back wall, where I saw that there was a large and gruesomely designed throne decorated with skulls and bones of all sorts. The mist focused in the throne and took shape, and soon a humanoid form materialized.

The thing's face looked vaguely like that of a man, but it was somehow altered. It was monstrous, and there were spikes of bone protruding along the jaw line, with one three inches long jutting from the chin. The forehead was elongated, with a ridge running from the bridge of the nose all the way up to the top of the head, where it broke the surface and took on a design like that of a saw blade. The creature was holding in one of its clawed hands a goblet, which was constructed of bone as well and obviously filled with blood. Then the abominable thing spoke, with a voice that echoed and sounded as if it were the voices of many.

"I have been watching you, traveler," it said, speaking in a strange blend of several accents and grinning hideously. "My minions have told me much about you, although I am quite sure you never saw them. They do tend to be a tad loud, however, so you likely heard them stalking you in the night. They do their job well, and they should, for they have been at it for centuries. Naught but a fragment of my lifetime, but still a good stretch as servants go. Oh, but where are my manners? Your name I already know, for I see much with my mind. Allow me to introduce myself. My true name none may know, but many call me the Prince of Darkness, or, if you prefer a simpler name, Dracula will suffice." He laughed then, and it resounded off of every wall in the castle, making me wish to cover my ears.

I replied to him, "The legendary vampire Dracula. I never imagined I would meet such a prominent figure in my travels, though I have wished it. Why have you allowed your castle to fall into such disrepair? It seems so unfitting for Kindred as venerable as yourself to live in such a horrid place. I would have been tempted to think there was nobody here at all if my senses hadn't been as keen as they are."

He frowned and growled deep in his throat, then said to me, "Do not refer to me by that term. 'Kindred'…bah! I claim no kin, and wish none to claim me as such. As for my castle, the point of its appearance should be obvious. If it appears abandoned, nobody will bother me here! I detest visitors under normal circumstances, and you are the first I have entertained in centuries. Congratulations on finding me, but don't let it go to your head, young one. You are in no position to have much pride. Some of the bones you see here are from those who dared to disturb me in my home, and I assure you I took great pleasure in causing them much pain before their death. You would be wise to watch what you say here."

I was a little disappointed in his attitude, but I tried to keep my opinions to myself. "I didn't mean to offend, sir. If you don't mind my asking, what type of vampire are you? I have never seen one such as you, and I am greatly interested."

He grinned slightly. "You speak of clans, young one. I have none. My powers are of my own creation, with no outside influence whatsoever. Before you ask, no, I will teach you nothing. As for your kind, I have seen them before. Most are quite pathetic, trapped by those proud and arrogant Tremere, with their ridiculous magic. I know of your escape, and you garner some respect for that, but there are others like you. I employed one myself many years ago, but he has long since gone. I was not so foolish as to assume he would obey my every command, and when it was apparent that he wished to leave, I allowed him to do so. Independence is a virtue which I promote. I really have no need for spies, as I could do their work myself, but I prefer to stay here. My days of travel are few and far between."

I had so many questions for him, but in the shock of actually meeting him so unexpectedly, most seemed to have slipped my mind. I was at a loss, and said so. "Well, my stony visitor, I can't guarantee I would answer many of your questions in any case. I do not take well to sharing much information about myself. In some matters, my safety depends on it, and my privacy as well. There is also another thing I have yet to tell you, and I'm afraid it may not be to your liking. You see, I have so few visitors not only because I am in such a remote location, but because the ones that have managed to find me do not return whence they came. I trust nobody, and I have found that the best method of keeping someone from telling a secret is to remove them from the world where it matters." Seeing my distress, he chuckled and said, "Oh, no no no, my friend, I am not going to bring you final death, at least not by my own hand. I'm just going to send you somewhere that will be most unpleasant, and where I am sure you will not pose a threat to me. You will be happy to know that your worries of sunlight will be nonexistent, but you will have plenty of others to take their place." At this point, he raised one hand and made strange motions with it. I tried to run, but he dropped his glass and put the other hand out stiffly, at which time all my strength left me, and I fell to the bone-littered floor, helplessly watching as he continued his cryptic motions and began chanting. The room around me rippled, and he smiled as it all faded from sight, replaced by the utter darkness of a cavern.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Come now, did you really think Dracula would be a kind fellow? I made him out to be a crafter of flesh and bone, as the Tzimisce clan, but he belongs to no clan. Dracula, in my story, is simply an ancient vampire of unknown origin. Naturally, the reason nobody knows much about him is the way he treats his visitors...as you shall see here. A place of total darkness...frightening, even for a creature of the night, and home to unknown horrors. Journey now with Murdok into the depths of despair...**  
**

**The Dark**

It was a long time before I found the strength to get up. Observing that there was no light here, I was thankful that I had taken the time to learn to see in such places. I was perplexed, but at least I could see. The cave ran in both directions from where I had been placed, and each looked the same. The walls were smooth for the most part, covered in places by vegetation I had never seen before. There were odd looking plants, the leaves of which were a sickly white. A mold or fungus of sorts grew in patches here and there, shiny with some sort of liquid and pigmented a horrid shade of yellow. I reached out to feel some of this strange fungus, and it receded into the wall when my finger touched it, leaving behind a residue of the same color as itself. Where on earth was I? What sort of creatures lived down here, I wondered. Dracula had said it would be most unpleasant here, and I felt that he knew what he was talking about. After all, had he not sent numerous others here as well? At any rate, I knew I needed to find some sort of thing to feed on…the weird thing was, I didn't feel hungry, even though I had not fed for at least three nights.

I chose my direction at random, since one looked just like the other, and began walking. The tunnel grew larger in some places, and after a little while I began to come across small puddles of liquid, which I would have thought to be water if it hadn't tried to take my foot from me. I broke its hold easily, but I was severely discomforted by such happenings. My earlier question recurred to me: where on earth was I? Perhaps I was asking the wrong question altogether. Maybe the real question was something much more disturbing. Where was I at all? Had he sent me to another planet, perhaps? I would not be surprised, but then, what would I do to get back?

As I pondered these things, I began to notice that, dotted here and there along the passage, there were small crystals of a green color, and they were emitting a very dim light. Something about it disgusted me, but I was fascinated, to be sure. I chipped one out of the wall easily, but it crumbled as soon as it was detached, leaving behind something that appeared to be ash. Nothing here was as I expected at all. I decided that perhaps it would be best to leave things alone until I found out where I was. I continued my walk, and though I knew it had been a great while, I did not feel like resting. It was a long time before I ran into any alternate routes, but I chose to remain on the one I had been using, because with my abilities I could see that it would open up into a larger cavern soon. There were life forms here, though I had no idea what they were. They moved from time to time, but it didn't appear that they were standing guard. As I came closer to the room, I could hear strange gibbering noises echoing through the cave, and when I got to the edge I peeked out cautiously, using my camouflaging skills. There were five creatures here that I could see, and they were like nothing I had ever even heard of before.

They were average size, about the height of a man, but they were hunched over and apparently conversing with each other with their own language, which I could by no means understand. They had no eyes that I could observe, but simply had two small holes, which I assumed to be nostrils, and a mouth, appearing to be ringed with many teeth. Their ears were large, shaped like those of bats, and they seemed to be moving about in regular patterns, assumedly scanning for any sounds they could pick up. Their hands had but three fingers and no opposable thumb, and their feet had three toes, two in the front and one jutting out of the back, each tipped with short claws on hands and feet alike. Their skin was the blackest of black, and did not shine even the slightest bit, even though the green crystals were numerous here.

There were also two small structures here, constructed of what I assumed to be stone. They were domed, and shaped vaguely like the igloos I had seen in pictures. Presently, the creatures began walking off, heading into a passage nearby. There were four possible routes, including the one I had come through. Two of them appeared to go on for a long time, while the one the creatures went through led to another room before dead-ending. The fourth led upward, slanting at a fairly steep angle, and this is the path I chose to take. Before long, I would find that it had been a mistake.

**Nightmare**

I walked up this cave for hours, still not tired as I usually became. The green crystals were becoming much less frequent, and I had some trouble seeing, even with my sight focused. The darkness here was almost tangible, and though I was a creature of the night, it frightened me. The vegetation, such as it was, began to thin out, and soon there was none at all, save for one patch of fungus that had grown and turned utterly black with some unknown ailment. I began to be glad I didn't breathe. There was no telling what sort of things were floating around in the air down here, or if it was breathable at all. All the while, the darkness grew thicker still, until I could scarcely see.

I kept walking, now navigating solely by my power to see the layout of the caves, for the darkness had become complete. The cavern was getting slightly larger, and began to level out. This bothered me, but what choice did I have? There were no branches here. I saw only more straight progress ahead. Another few minutes of walking, and then I heard laughter in the distance. It was low and resounding, and sounded quite sinister. I couldn't tell if it was ahead or behind me, and my sight showed no signs of anything living in my proximity. I kept going, having no idea what I was about to encounter. From what I could tell, the cave was about to open up so much that I couldn't tell where the bottom or top of the room would be, and that meant it had to be several hundred yards from top to bottom, at the least, and as I got closer, I became more and more cautious, for a feeling of dread had come over me, even more prominent than my fear at my run-in with the werewolf had been. I approached the edge of the opening, and a booming laughter greeted me, at which point I was sucked out of my hiding spot and into the unknown depths.

I fell only a few feet, then caught myself and hovered there, looking about vainly, for the darkness was seemingly as thick as tar, and it felt like it was pressing against me. In a swift motion, I was snatched from the air by what felt like an enormous hand, then the darkness receded in tendrils in front of me, and I wished it had not, for the creature that had me in its clutches was maddeningly terrifying.

Its shape was not definite, but seemed to shift constantly, though I recognized some of the forms it took. One was the werewolf, and it roared at me, biting and snarling. Its eyes glowed red for a moment, and then the creature was formless again, melting into shadow. Next it took the shape of something I didn't recognize consciously, but I felt a nameless fear for it. The likes of this thing I cannot even begin to describe. Then it shifted into the shape of a dragon, breathing shadowy fire at me, causing me to squirm in mindless fright for a few moments before I came back to my senses. It morphed once more, this time taking the form of the legendary vampire Dracula, whom I had only just met, but was still deathly afraid of. It laughed hideously, in that same voice of many voices which the elder himself had. The next form it took was that of my old master, Reinhardt, and his eyes burned with unholy fire.

My fears for this man were deeply set, though I thought I had forgotten them, and I fell unconscious from fright. When I awoke, I was still within the hand of the creature, though it now once again held no form, having some semblance of a face that grinned menacingly at me. Then, it spoke in a voice so loud and terrible that I shall never forget it.

"Foolish vampire! Did you honestly think you could find your way out of Lord Dracula's trap? Nobody has ever escaped! There are men and other creatures that have been here for countless millennia, and you will share their fate. You are not on another planet, as I see that your mind has formulated. You are in a dimension of labyrinths and darkness, made by the Dark Lord himself in all of his endless time alone. It grows and changes constantly, and you look now upon the guardian he has set for it, should anyone actually come close to escaping, which, to your credit, you have. There was no way you could have known which direction to go, you just got lucky, my little friend, but your luck has indeed run out. I will keep you here for eternity, in which time you will view the portal which would lead to your freedom, but may never reach it! Welcome to the Master's hell, weakling!"

The thing tossed me downward at an incredible speed, and try as I might, my wings were useless to me. I fell like what I was: a stone. Down, down, down I went, plummeting toward a floor that I couldn't see, through an abyss I couldn't measure, and all the while the creature's laughter followed me, echoing throughout the monstrous cave, mocking my inability to move. At long last, I beheld the bottom, coming toward me at a horrifying rate, and I braced myself, for there were sharp outcroppings of rock everywhere. Just as I was about to hit, I close my eyes…and stopped falling. When I realized I had not been skewered by one of the rock spires, or splattered on the flat surfaces like an insect, I opened them, and I was floating but a few feet above the floor, held by an unseen force. Suddenly, I was dropped, landing between several outcroppings, and I looked up to see nothing but the blackness of the abyss above me, and that maniacal laughter still filled the cavern.

**The Shadow Vault**

My abilities showed me no exits from this room, and I felt incredibly helpless. My wings would no longer carry me here, which I'm sure was due to something the entity above me had done. Even if I could still fly, I would only reach that…thing again, and it would not allow me to go any further. I sat down and simply pondered my situation, and that only made things worse. After few minutes of this, I became quite sure I would spend eternity here, and then something happened that further disheartened me: I lost all ability to move. My eyes were stopped in their sockets, staring at the wall in front of me, upon which presently appeared a sort of window, which opened on lands I had seen throughout my travels. I longed to reach it, but alas, I could do nothing but stare.

"You shall stay here forever and stare at that which would bring you freedom, vampire," the booming voice said. "You believe yourself to be quite powerful, but in truth, you are weak! Why, you can't even do anything against me, and I am but a lackey of my great Master. He is the most powerful of all creatures, and you will beg for his mercy very soon. You will find, however, that he has no use for such a thing, and no use for you, either. If you think that he does this for entertainment, you are quite wrong. He has already forgotten you, and you will be here long enough so that it is as if you never even existed in the world! Far longer, I am sure, for nobody has ever been released. Death will not come, but oh, you will wish for it…oh yes you will indeed."

It laughed at me then, after which I heard no more from the sinister shadow-beast from another dimension. All was silent there in my prison, and it was an immeasurable time before anything at all happened.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Well, it's time for Murdok to have a companion, I figure, so I thought one up. He's a vampire hunter by trade, but don't worry, he's not after our protagonist. Oh, and we're about to find out just how long Murdok has been imprisoned. It's a good thing vampires don't die of old age...

**Death for the Undying**

The quake began gradually, but before long it was causing rocks to fall and cracks to form beneath me. I was still frozen in my position, and had been staring at the portal for what seemed like an eternity. I was frightened, but I could do nothing to protect myself from the falling debris or from the gaping maw of the earth that was opening to my right. The portal was flickering periodically, and as it came into focus for the last time, I saw the anguished face of Dracula, seemingly being rent asunder by an unseen force. The binding on me was released, and I heard the great bellowing of the beast above me crying out in anger and possibly pain. I got up with a great effort, but my balance failed me, and so it was that I fell into the chasm in the floor of the cave, still unable to make my wings function.

I fell for some time, until eventually the quaking ceased, and it seemed as though there was now nothing around me but darkness. Then, quite suddenly, I dropped into the cellar, landing in front of the throne Dracula had been sitting in, but there was someone else standing there, and Dracula'sashes lay ina pilenearby. I simply lay there, gathering my thoughts and my strength, for I had been immobile for ages. The man standing over me knelt beside me, and his face was kind as he spoke.

"A great evil has been vanquished here tonight, and it seems that you alone have been saved. The others were all lost, either by death or other means. They were few, but their loss will be mourned. I have been searching for Dracula for a long, long time, and it was only by chance that I managed to find him. I wandered into these forsaken mountains by mistake, while trying to find my way to another place I was told he could have been living. Luckily, I was very well prepared for my encounter with the Prince of Darkness. Pardon me, I have not told you who I am. My name is Horatio, and I am a vampire hunter of sorts, but do not worry, for I only destroy those who have evil souls. I know you have noble intentions, my friend, for I can see it in your face."

I smiled at him helplessly, because I was so very grateful. "I didn't fear you at all, hunter. I could tell you meant me no harm. My name is Murdok, and I also came upon this horrible creature by accident, though I was no match for his power. I am old, but by no means invincible. Might I trouble you to learn the year? I have been trapped for a great while, but I had no way to know how long. As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure when I arrived here, for I had a strange experience before this, which I will explain later."

His face darkened a bit, then he told me, in a grave tone of voice, "It is the year 3154, and the world has long since fallen into a horrible state. Dark forces are at work, my friend, and I am out to stop them. We mortals are all but annihilated, and the land is overrun with creatures of every sort. We speculated as to their origin for a long time, but when we learned the truth, our worst nightmares were no match for it. The very depths of Hell have been unleashed by some fool meddling with black magic, and though he was killed quickly by his own summoned evils, they have not stopped coming forth. There is no discernible source now, for they spring at random from all locations, coming with a burst of flame and shadow and showing no mercy. Those who are unlucky enough to run into them usually perish."

I was horrified by this revelation, and I now felt I had been gone for at least a millennium, perhaps longer. I couldn't be sure of course, because I don't know how much time passed in the time I don't remember, but I ventured a guess anyhow. So much time lost. I wondered how many of the people I had met were still alive. Vampires, yes, but by no means immune to the wrath of Hell itself. What fool could have brought such a horrid fate upon the world? I wished he had not been killed already, because I would have gladly done so myself, and with much fury and rage. Apparently this showed in my face, for Horatio spoke consolingly.

"Do not worry yourself too much, friend. Anyone you might have known who is also a vampire is likely still very much alive. The minions of Hell apparently haven't much care for them at all, except for when they are openly attacked by the Kindred, which is becoming quite frequent. It has been almost a century since the first demons were set loose, and I believe the vampires are worrying that their food source will be wiped out, which is a definite possibility. Already the human population has been cut in half, and it dwindles day by day. The death toll is less now, however, because the humans are very widespread now, and many of them are quite resilient. After all, if we have survived this long, we must know something about how to defend ourselves, right? In any event, we had better get out of here. Though Dracula claimed to revel in his independence, his servants are many, and they surely already know of his fate. They will be here to avenge him before too long, and I don't know if we can take them all. Come!"

**Journeys Taken, Stories Told**

To make short a long bit of boring nonsense, we left the castle in haste, and made our way out of the treacherous mountains. We saw none of the lackeys of the late Dracula, and we counted ourselves very lucky on that account. Horatio was quite the survivalist, as was I, and we had no problems living out in the wilderness. I fed off of animals, though they were not my favorite meal, and he cooked and ate what I killed. It worked out to be a fine situation for the both of us, and though the circumstances were grim, we enjoyed each other's company. I must say that he was dressed in interesting attire, the likes of which I had never seen, but that didn't surprise me. After all, I had been out of touch with the world for a great while.

He wore armor, and this was somewhat like that of the knights in the medieval times, but it was more sleek and refined. It was of a flat black metal, which he told me was a new alloy made from many things, the names of most which were unfamiliar to me. The material was called Adamantex, and was made by a manufacturer that had of course been destroyed by the demon horde. He was at great pains to keep it in his possession, for at the time it was made it was yet a new material and in its experimental state, therefore there were no people who knew how to make it. The ones who did were all dead. The stuff was metallic, as I have said, but it had a plastic property as well, and it gave considerably when pressed softly. If hit, however, it hardened, and he told me that even the strongest metal or stone would shatter upon it.

"The black color is not natural," he told me, "but was made that way because it was being specially crafted for the Global Alliance Special Forces, some of whom specialized in reconnaissance. They needed something that would conceal them from the enemy, but also provide ultimate protection should they be attacked. The color isn't the only thing about this armor that is different, though." When he had finished this statement, he grinned and closed his eyes, then almost disappeared from view. There was a sort of disruption where he was, but not a definite figure. It reminded me of my camouflaging ability, and I smiled as he reappeared.

"That was what would make these suits extremely expensive. Now, though, there are only a scarce 30 of these worldwide, and most are defective in that nature. Mine is one of only 5 that are fully functional. The others are worn by the high-ranking officers in what is acting as a military for the remaining humans. I am not a part of this organization, however. I work with 2 others, together forming what we call the Knights of Erebus. Erebus is a city that used to be 3 times the size of the New York you may have known, but all that remains of it now is a jumble of fallen buildings and a small town of about 300 people. We don't usually venture into the ruins because there are rumors that a powerful mage resides there, apparently biding his time for something, though we know not what. As a matter of fact, his existence is strictly theoretical, because nobody has gone to see him since the destruction of the city. There were those who said they knew him when the city was strong, but he was not all that mighty then. Some think he perished when the city fell, but once again, nobody is sure.

"You look as if you wonder why I and my 2 colleagues have not gone in to investigate, and I will answer. The reason is that this armor is not made to stop anything except for physical weapons, and a mage would obviously wield other forces against us. I myself have never met a mage, and so I wouldn't even know what to expect. That, my friend, is a sure recipe for disaster, as I'm sure you well know."

I pondered over this information for a few moments, then changed the subject to something a little more mundane. "How old are you, sir? You look young, but my perception of age has been somewhat skewed."

He chuckled. "I am 137, friend, and not even feeling it. Average life expectancy for humans was estimated at about 100 years when the demons invaded, and I have some…other means by which I keep myself alive. No, it is not blood, or even really any sort of magic. You see, in my younger days…" He laughed again here, apparently amused by this concept, "…I was a researcher for a very large and well-respected pharmaceutical company. LifeCorp, we were called, and my job was to experiment with human DNA and figure out ways to make us more resilient to diseases and to slow or eliminate the aging effects of the body. One day, I made a breakthrough that would have been the greatest medical discovery since Penicillin, but I was never allowed to divulge it to the public. The company told me that the results of such a thing would be disastrous. The irony of the matter is that soon afterwards, the fabric that divided our world from Hell was torn open, and had they let me release the information, more people would have survived. You see, the demons are only the direct cause of about a quarter of the deaths. The rest are attributed to things such as starvation, exhaustion, dehydration, and disease. My research allowed me to change my genetic structure before the company lost its resources, and I took a few friends in with me.

"Two of them are my fellow Knights, and the other 4 are leaders of the remaining cities. Nobody knows why we have lived so long except for ourselves, and we intend to keep it that way. We no longer have the means to use our knowledge, and to release it…well, that would mean riots and more death, this time by our own jealousy. And so, we live on. The eldest of us is over 170 years old, and he looks not a day over 50. He was older than that when the procedure was done, but like the rest of us, some of his previous aging was reversed. Just think! I had found the Fountain of Youth, and was forced to keep it to myself! What a world we were living in, Murdok. If only you had been around to see all your missed years. There were some amazing things, some which I could not truly describe or explain to you because you lack the mindset, but you would have enjoyed it."

"I'm sure I would have. I had taken a great interest in the sciences in my final years in civilization. It is a shame that I was not allowed to pursue them further. I'm afraid that my luck has always been somewhat sour. I'm glad to have met you, but the circumstances leave something to be desired. So tell me, why do you hunt vampires? What caused you to take up the occupation?"

"Oh, well that is sort of a personal vendetta. As I said before, my company refused to let me tell the public, or even the government, about my discovery. Well, one of the higher-ups was a vampire named Tobias Gould. Nobody liked to visit him, not even the other execs. He had a way of creeping you out just by being there. It was indeed odd, but I had met other people that gave me that chill and I figured it was normal. I happened to walk into his office one night when I was working late, and he was there, but he looked quite monstrous. I can't even describe him to you, except that he looked like a corpse that was about 50 years in the ground. It was something horrible to behold, let me assure you, and I ran in fright. He chased me, saying that I couldn't be allowed to live after seeing him in his true shape, and I did elude him for a time, but after about a half hour, he found me.

"I tried to fight him, but I quickly discovered that I was no match in strength and would have to find another way. I managed to push him off of me and bolted, searching frantically for anything effective, and I found my weapon soon enough: a fire axe. I pushed the release button on it, which sounded an alarm, and took it. Tobias shrieked as the alarm whined, for apparently his hearing was augmented in some way, and I took the chance to chop his accursed head from his shoulders. He did not bleed, but simply fell to the floor in a heap, then turned to ashes before my very eyes. I almost couldn't believe such a thing had happened, but here it was in front of me, concrete proof of his existence, and of the existence of the undead. I had uncovered a terrible truth, and soon afterward, I quit the company."

I shook my head gravely. "It's a horrid thing that you should meet first one of our most violent and wretched members. Obviously you have since discovered that there is good among our ranks as well, am I right?"

"Well yes, I did find that out, but not before I had slain a good 20 others. None of them had begged for me to stop, except for the 21st. He would have cried if he was capable, but he could only plead, telling me that he had a woman whom he loved dearly, and that she would be devastated to learn of his death. Being the compassionate man that I am, I let him live, but bound him until he convinced me that he was telling the absolute truth. I never even knew the man's name, but he was definitely a kind one. I released him after a few hours, and from then on, I developed a sense for evil and good, taking only the former to their final death."

"Well," I said, "this is all very interesting, but dawn grows near and I must sleep. I shall see you this evening, Horatio. Take care during the daylight hours." With that, I slept, and when I awoke that evening, Horatio was gone.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's note: Well, I'll say something about the rest of this story before it's all posted. There are a lot of anecdotes told by Horatio that are simply for flavor and nothing else. There is no resolution, he is simply telling of his past and reasons for some of the present happenings. The man has been through a great deal, and it's a miracle that he's even survived this long. In this case, it's a good thing he has Murdok along, because there are some things a mere mortal simply has no chance against...

**A Friend in Need**

At first, it didn't seem odd that Horatio wasn't around. After all, he had gone looking about while I slept before, so why not now? I waited for an hour or so, then decided I should go look for him. I called to him, but never received an answer, and so I searched for a long time. After 3 fruitless hours of this, I gave up and went back to where we had been camped, hoping against hope that he would be there waiting for me. Instead, what I found was a ransacked campsite and a note, scrawled in broken English. It read thus:

_We take man in armor. He kill one of us long time ago. Him pay now. You no try find, or you pay too. Him scream and beg for die when we do bad things to him. If you smart you leave us alone now. We no want trouble, only want make bad man pay._

Needless to say, this only angered and worried me. I ripped it to shreds and stalked away after "them", easily tracking the thing by the prints it left in the soil, which was very soft. They were rather large tracks, each one at least doubling the size of my foot and being a different shape each time. None of them resembled anything, but were simply there. No matter what the threat, I was not afraid. After all, I had been through enough kinds of hell already. I figured I could stand another. Besides, this man had been very kind to me, and I was not going to let some half-wit monstrosities take his life from him.

I followed the trail of the creature for a long, long time, and dawn was soon approaching. I had a mere 2 hours more to search, then I would lose an entire day on them. I would have been flying, but we were in a thickly wooded area, and following a trail that way would have been impossible. I began to think it odd that I didn't see more sets of tracks. After all, hadn't the note referred to a group? Perhaps only one had been needed to fetch Horatio, but him being such a formidable man, I doubted that seriously. My doubts, however, would soon be erased, because I was coming up on a small clearing, and what I saw froze me in my tracks.

Standing nearby was a creature roughly fifteen feet tall, and it was so hideously misshapen that I couldn't even tell which was its back or front. It had hands and feet, or some semblance thereof, and the whole thing seemed to be made of flesh and very little bone. Horatio was in its clutches, and the thing was speaking to him in its broken English, but I could scarcely understand its garbled voice. It had no eyes, or really even a face for that matter. No mouth, no nose, no other features whatsoever. As I watched, another arm jutted forth from it and wrapped around my friend, beginning to squeeze him more and more, until he began to scream.

I took action, leaping into the air and taking flight for the first time in a long while, and the thing immediately grew to three times its size, nearly engulfing me when it did, for the action was so sudden I would not have thought it possible. Horatio saw me then, and he yelled for me to help him, though I wasn't exactly sure how: the creature was huge, and since it kept changing shape, I had no idea where its weak points were, if it indeed had any. Nevertheless, in a desperate effort to help my friend, I flew into it as fast as I could, hoping to knock Horatio from its grasp.

Hitting the thing was such a disgusting sensation that I can scarcely describe it, except to liken it to charging through a mass of gelatinous lard that smelled like a hundred corpses in a mass grave left lying out in a pouring rain, then left out in the sun for a few days…and that really isn't quite bad enough, to be plainly honest. I flew right through the mass of flesh, coming out on the other side covered in a blackish-green substance that stuck to me like a horrid glue. Suddenly, I realized I could hardly move, and that the stuff was hardening. I struggled with it, all the while hearing Horatio screaming in agony and trying to tell me something that I couldn't decipher in my desperation to break free. After a few hard seconds that seemed eternal, the gluey stuff hardened enough so that I shattered it from my body, then tried to listen to my friend.

"EYE! ON ITS FOOT! BREAK IT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE," he screamed, and surely, as I looked, I saw what he spoke of: a two-inch glaring eye almost obscured by the flesh of the monster's foot. It was black, and as I saw it, it receded into the creature. I took heart and lunged, reaching into that horrible, stinking abomination and finding its eye, which was, even after a mere half second, over three feet inside it. I grasped it and tore it free, and the monster gave a garbled roar of pain as the eye burst in my hand. The thing fell to the ground in a heap, or if you prefer a more accurate description, a blob. Horatio fell beside it and passed out.

A half hour or so later, after the horrid beast's body had evaporated into a thick yellow mist which hung around stubbornly, Horatio woke up. He looked at me and managed a weak smile, then fell back into a deep sleep, into which I followed him as the dawn approached.

**Another Story**

When I awoke the following evening, the mist had finally cleared, and Horatio was sitting on a nearby rock, looking up at the rising moon. He turned around as he heard me come forth from my resting place, and he looked quite lively now after but a day's rest. His voice showed no weakness when he spoke.

"Murdok, my dear friend, I am terribly sorry to have brought you into such a conflict. This was an old, old quarrel that should have been settled years ago. The creature you saw was not merely one creature, but many gathered into one mass. The smaller ones were much easier to manage, though at the time I met up with them I was a great deal weaker than I am today. They came across me in a dark forest over thirty years ago, and they sought to devour me. I can't describe their appearance, because they were much like this one: no actual shape, just a mass of moving flesh with rudimentary intelligence. Where they came from, I do not know, nor do I wish to know, for the place harboring such things and the manner of their creation would surely be unbearable.

"I fought with them when they attacked me, and by a lucky strike I did kill one. It was apparent that they planned to avenge it, for as I ran, they heaved threats at me in that strange language they natively speak, though after this long and after traveling this far, I honestly thought I was safe from them. Their memory is obviously much better than mine, for I had all but forgotten the incident. I wonder if that was the last of them, or if there are more lurking about, waiting for the opportunity to take me once again. If so, they will be swift and waste no time in ending my existence. Thank you, my friend, for saving me. If you ever owed me a debt, or ever do, consider it paid in full."

We once again took shelter in the same area, regardless of our recent attack. We weren't about to let an old grudge change our plans in the least. Our journey was about to be given a violent shove into overdrive, however.

**Apocalypse**

To shorten the next month or so into a few lines, let us just say that we trudged through the wilderness during that time, performing the usual tasks day by day, and all the while I noticed a decrease in ground cover of any sort. Dirt and rock were the prevalent forms of terrain. Once in awhile we heard unearthly roars and screeches from far off, and Horatio informed me gravely that these were the sounds of the creatures that had taken our world from us. Other sorts of life were becoming scarce around us, and it became very difficult for me to find anything upon which to feed. I worried that we may run out of food altogether, and that would force me to feed on my only friend, because no control can be exercised over a vampire's bloodlust in full swing.

It was about this time that the most terrible spectacle of my existence took place. There was a deafening roar, and a sound of cracking and rumbling that seemed to be nothing less than the very fabric of reality being torn asunder. The skies grew orange and blazed with fires, the likes of which the world had never seen, and parts of the landscape that had once been level began to ripple and quake as a sea in the grips of a typhoon would have done. The waves froze in place at their peaks, forming new mountain ranges of jagged peaks with barbs of stone protruding from every angle. Horatio and I were thrown from our feet, and I was driven into a state of utterly maddening fear by the flames in the sky, burrowing into the ground. After this, I remember nothing for quite some time.

I awoke later to muffled sounds of crying, and I came up to see what was going on. The sky had grown black, and the landscape was unrecognizable. Everywhere there were sharp rocks, and far away I saw eruptions of magma and flames. My attention, however, was soon drawn to the shape of a man hunkered over by a nearby fallen tree, and I found to my dismay that it was Horatio, weeping tiredly but apparently unable to stop.

Seeing my friend cry was upsetting, but as a vampire, I lack the ability to shed tears. I went to him and sat down beside him, inquiring what had made him so sad. He looked up at me with a weary face and eyes so bloodshot that they seemed altogether red. When he spoke, he scarcely had a voice.

"Murdok, I…the city…all those people…," he broke off into a fit of crying and was unable to continue, and I stayed with him, providing what little comfort a stone beast can muster.

**The Shattered City**

I grew very tired after some time, though I could no longer discern day from night, for the sky was black with an unnatural darkness. I thought it to be smoke, or simply clouds, but upon further observation I found that it was neither. I dared not fly up to discern what exactly it was, because any long conjecture upon the subject filled me with dread. I resolved to ignore it as best I could, and count it as a bit of a blessing for my kind.

Troubled by thoughts of the recent upheaval, I still managed to sleep, most likely because my sleep is not at all natural. Horatio did not awaken until a few hours after I had risen again, and yet after so much sleep, he still looked exhausted. I asked him if he was feeling any better, and he gave a weak nod.

"I just can't stop thinking about Erebus," he said, "Surely it was destroyed in all that mayhem, and it was supposed to be my job to protect it. I had no power to prevent such a catastrophe, but nonetheless, I feel responsible on some level. I should have at least been there with them. I don't deserve to live any longer. I…I failed them. All of them…"

"My friend, you can't blame yourself for what happened. Neither of us knows what force is behind this, but we are most obviously dwarfed by it. Besides, who can say for sure that the city is fully destroyed, or that everyone in it has died? It is still some distance from us, and may yet be partially intact, and hold survivors. The people you spoke of must be of a very resilient nature, and therefore perfectly capable of lasting through all but the most desperate conditions. You shouldn't give up on them. We should instead make haste to the city and see what we can find there. If there is one thing I've learned in all my centuries, it is that there is always hope. Come!"

He seemed to brighten just the slightest bit after I said all of this, and with a great effort, he rose to his feet. "Murdok," he said, "take us to Erebus while there may still be time. It should be a matter of hours before we arrive."

I carried him up with me, and the view from above was even more depressing. The entire landscape was unrecognizable. Everywhere the ground smoldered and belched noxious vapors, and in some places new volcanoes had formed, violently erupting almost constantly. It was as if a great hand had seized the world and crushed it until it almost burst from the pressure. Tremors rocked the land, and whole mountains were being tumbled into chasms that were miles in width. It seemed that the destruction was far from over. The planet had been thrown into a violent reverse, and I was sure that it would be no more in just a short time.

We flew over such wastes for several hours, all the while haunted by the sinister darkness above us. I ventured a look at it directly above us only once out of curiosity, and to my horror I saw that it was rippling and writhing as if it were alive, and when we passed under it, giant tendrils reached out from it as if to grab hold and take us into it. It was sluggish, and could not seize us, but I dared not look upon it again for fear of madness.

Given my superior sense of vision, it was I who first spotted the smoldering ruins of a great city. I pointed them out to Horatio, and he fell to crying again, proving to me that this was indeed his home of Erebus. I decided it might be better to inspect the scene at a closer vantage point, and so, taking care to place my friend gently on the rocky ground, I landed. We were at the remains of what was once a titanic wall, and the area was littered with all manner of stone and twisted metal. Horatio looked at me and, wiping the tears from his eyes, said "I am glad not to have to do this alone, my friend." With that, we trudged into the ruins, hoping against hope that there were survivors.

It was a nightmare. Horatio was forced to stop many times to weep, and sometimes to be sick due to the bodies and pieces thereof strewn about the landscape. We visited the sites of homes of people he had known, only to find a new crag or a magma-filled crater in their place. It was as we had feared: the last great city, Erebus, had been utterly destroyed. Any live people we saw were so badly injured that there was no hope of helping them, and some died even as we observed. I had no words to comfort my friend. The remnants of mankind, it seemed, had been all but obliterated. Scattered communities may still have been around somewhere, but it would be a long, long time before there were any more cities, if ever.

We spent a few hours searching places where Horatio knew that survivors would have gathered, but we found only more corpses. Whatever had caused this catastrophe, it had done its work well. No edifice had been left standing. Once in awhile, the ground still heaved and rippled as if there was something alive underneath, trying to get out. Sometimes I thought I heard whispering voices, but I could never make out what they were saying. My status as a creature of the darkness was of no comfort to me here: I was afraid. Whatever had done this was far beyond anything I had encountered, and I knew that confronting something of such power would mean certain death. I had no idea what we were going to do, but at this point I had become very tired, as had my human comrade. We took shelter in the ruins of a small building, neither of us saying anything. It was all just too much to bear.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: Well, a few days ago, the rest of the story just came together. I have been pondering over it for some time, and the pieces snapped into place. At one time, I really wasn't sure if this story would ever come to a close, and I don't think it ever would have. I've left a somewhat open ending, but it does resolve one of Murdok's main motivations, which was stolen from him earlier in the story. Can't say much more without totally giving it away, so here it is. Don't know how many have been reading, or if it's been an enjoyable read, but I do hope so. It sure was an experience to write.

**A Dreaded Request**

When we had rested, we found no motivation to do anything but sit and brood. Our world had apparently quite literally gone to Hell, and we felt there was nothing we could do. We sat and watched as a troop of demons wandered through the city, devouring the corpses that were strewn about the landscape. This was my first glimpse of the creatures, and they looked just as I had always imagined: pretty much just like me, without the stone. They were shrouded in fire and shadow, and their dead eyes suggested only marginal intelligence. My guess was that they had a sort of hive mind, controlled by a central force somewhere. An entire army working as one…it was a discouraging thought. There were not enough of us left to stand against them, and it appeared that God, if there was one, had forsaken the planet he had created. It was in this light that I decided I didn't want to be here anymore.

"Horatio, do you happen to know of a magic-user anywhere? I've just had an idea, and I'm sure that someone with such powers could have devised a way to survive in these troubled times."

"Well," he said "I do recall hearing something about one such man living in the mountains to the east, but it was something nobody ever confirmed. We were afraid to investigate, given the rumors of his power. Such a man is not to be trifled with, even for someone of your type. What would you want with him?"

I proceeded to explain myself. "I wish to travel back in time, my friend. I have a score that still feels unsettled, and the man I had meant to settle it with is now dead. This world is ruined, and I do not wish to spend any more time here. You may accompany me if you would like, but just know that this is purely an interest of my own and I will deal with it as such, with no help from anyone…as it was meant to be." Horatio considered this for some time, then rose to his feet. "Come then, we shall go and see if this mage is still alive, and if he is inclined to help us. I am considering a request of my own, but I need a little more time to think."

And so we left the destroyed city, looking back in farewell to man's last great creation in its ruin. It appeared that, no matter how hard good people tried to survive, evil would always find a way to crush them. As we took to the air, I wondered about the request my friend had spoken of, and what it would entail. Surely it must be something serious…but what? His city was destroyed, his people were dead, and yet he persevered. The man was determined to struggle onward, regardless of the forces at work against him. It was not long before we reached the mountains he spoke of, but they were greatly changed. Some had been reduced to piles of rubble, while others still stood, albeit with cracks and fissures of various sizes running through them. The sight was not surprising to us, of course. I don't think anything could have surprised us anymore, to be quite honest.

Horatio pointed out a cave nearby, which I steered toward. "That is the rumored location of this mage. Many said they had seen strange lights and heard odd chanting coming from it, but since none of this ever came to any harm, we disregarded it. I do hope you realize the risks here, Murdok." I assured him that I did, and we landed on an outcropping of rock close by. The cave was silent and dark, and with my improved sight, I could see that there was nobody at home. However, there were objects here and there within the cave that led me to believe that someone held residence here, and the smoking torches told me they had been here recently. We decided to wait for him to return.

After an hour or so, Horatio turned to me and began a conversation I will never forget. "Have you ever performed an embrace before, friend?" I had never been asked this before, but my answer came quickly. "No. No I have not, nor would I consider it. I've been through the process, and it was most unpleasant. Why do you ask such a question?" He looked down at his feet. "You know, in all my years of hunting your kind, I have sometimes wondered what it's like to be on the other side of life. You have told me much, but surely one must experience it for himself to truly understand it all. Several times, I have put myself in compromising situations, later admitting that I had done so in the hopes that I might be taken myself, just for the sake of knowing. Have you ever felt that way about something?"

I could tell where this was leading, and I was very uneasy. "Yes I have, but it is the reverse, and there is no way for me to go back. This change is permanent, and although it has its advantages, I would discourage anyone from taking the route to unlife. The novelty of it would surely wear off quickly." He looked at me then, and his face said to me that his request would not be denied. "Murdok, I want to feel it for myself. I want to understand it. I want to know what's made you the creature you are today, and I would be your companion in kind. Imagine, another like you to travel with! Wouldn't it be wonderful? We can go back together and enjoy the past!" Seeing the look on my face, he took a different stance. "If you do not do this for me, I shall end my life. I have nothing left of my old life for which to continue living. My only wish now is to become one of you. It would be a great honor for me to become your pupil. Please, do not deny a man's last wish."

I was horrified…but it appeared I had no choice. I knew how the procedure was done, as it was one of the things my sire taught me long ago, but I never thought I'd have to use it. "Alright, friend…alright. If it is your choice, then I shall do as you ask. It will not be a pleasant experience, I assure you, but I hope you enjoy this life more than I." He smiled then, and I wish I had been able to see it again.

**Tainted Blood**

The dreaded time had come. I was to make a new vampire. Although I was against the whole thing, my natural lust for blood helped me to begin the routine of the embrace. I sank my fangs into Horatio's neck, drawing his life-sustaining vitae into my body. The taste was more exquisite than any other blood I had yet tasted, and I drained him completely, as I had been taught. Now, I tore a chunk from my wrist, no easy task, and put it to his mouth, forcing my blood to flow. After the first bit, he clutched at my arm as he found renewed strength, gorging himself on his newfound sustenance. I had to pull myself away from him, stopping the flow and watching as his transformation began. His skin began to turn gray, then it cracked and split, and he curled into a fetal position as his body was wracked with the pain I myself had once felt. He screamed then, begging for mercy from a god that would no longer favor him, and wings began to sprout from his back. Horns formed on his head, and mingled with his cries was the sound of stone scraping against stone as he writhed on the rocks. His fingers grew short claws, and he scraped at his own arms, tearing the thin newly formed stone from his dead flesh only to have it renew itself in seconds. After a minute or so, his cries subsided, and his body relaxed somewhat. A new gargoyle had been born.

He looked up at me, his face barely recognizable and ugly now. His voice was like mine, raspy and horrible. "The pain…I thought it would never end! I should have listened more closely…I was not prepared. However, I have made it…I've become like you, friend! For so long, I wanted to…" He trailed off, his expression changing again to one of pain and anguish.

"Horatio? What's wrong? What do you feel?" I grabbed him…and, to my horror, his shoulder broke off in my hand, crumbling to small pebbles. He looked at it, and then back at me. "What's happening! Is this supposed to…AGH!" He clutched at himself, his arms beginning to flake and chip away. His horns fell to the ground, turning to dust, and his wings crumbled and fell to the stones below in a series of sounds I will never forget. His arms fell to pieces, one hand landing upturned at my feet. It clenched into a tight fist and collapsed on itself. I looked up to meet his eyes, and the look on his face was so terrible I can hardly describe it. His last wish had been denied, and most bitterly. He was literally falling apart. He tried to speak then, but what he meant to say was lost forever as he crumbled and fell in a heap, his blood standing out accusingly against the gray stone. My worst fears had never come anywhere close to this.

Surely it was the work of my old master. He had cursed me somehow, making sure that I could never make a companion for myself. I sat there for a long while, not only waiting for the mage to return, but just wondering what in my unlife had ever gone right. Come to think of it, everything had come to a bad end, or one that wasn't quite good. Reinhardt was dead, but not by my hands, and had cursed me. My only true friend had been destroyed by me. The world had been taken over by the legions of Hell, and there was nothing I could do. The only good thing I could think of was the fact that I had, indeed, defeated a werewolf…by myself. Overall, I think I came out on the bad end. Why was I destined to fail at everything? I hoped at least that I could do what I wanted with this mage and his powers. If there was one thing I wanted done right, it was this.

**A Trip Through Time**

As I mulled over these thoughts, I noticed an old man hobbling up toward the cave. He was clad in a tattered robe, and his back was severely hunched. He went inside and, shortly after, the flicker of torchlight emanated from the entrance. I went down to meet him.

As I entered, he turned around, seeming not to be surprised in the least. "Ah! So you've arrived. The course of time can change somewhat, but generally it stays pretty close to where it's supposed to be. Tell me…have you been waiting long?" Taken aback by this, I managed an answer. "W-well…no, not by my standards at least. It's been a few hours. How do you know who…" He cut me off, waving his hands briskly. "Oh, pish-posh! I'm a mage of time, after all. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out from there, now does it? Please, make yourself at home. I've just come back from collecting some components for the spell you're about to ask me to cast." He set some odds and ends on the small table and rushed about (as much as he could, anyhow) gathering various notes and things. "I haven't done anything this exciting in a long time! I'm glad to be able to use my spells again. Oh, sure, I could turn back time and fix all this mess, but I'd be in some trouble for sure! You just don't know how annoying it is to have so much power and not be able to do hardly anything interesting with it! Laws and rules…such a trifle, don't you think? Ah well, listen to me rambling on. You've got a big trip ahead of you, and an important task to take care of."

I chuckled a little at the old fellow, and it was nice to have a little amusement on such a wretched day. He obviously knew what he was doing. "Before you send me anywhere, might I know your name?" He made a few adjustments and turned back to me, smiling. "Oh, I haven't had a name in a long, long time. Nobody visits me anyhow, so why have a name, huh? Besides, you're about to be sometime else, and you won't be seeing me again, so you wouldn't need to bother yourself with it. Now, come stand over here…everything has to be just so, or it won't work! This will feel a bit strange, and don't worry, I've got a spot set for you where you won't be seen or heard until you choose to be. Don't take me for an amateur, now!"

My journal must end here, for there are important matters that need seeing to, and, according to him, its contents would not survive the trip. I shall entrust it to him, and perhaps he will write something in it after I am gone. To whoever is reading this, I hope that you have gained something out of it. Life and unlife each have their own perils and joys, though I believe life has quite a bit more of the latter. To the living, I say, enjoy it while you have it. I'll never know what mine was like. Farewell.

**Old Flames Revisited**

Well, I've sent him back. I can see what's happening…I won't be able to see for long, just a few seconds. Oh, I do wish I could see the fight! He's walking up to the door now…

Murdok slips through the wall as one would a liquid, and he finds Reinhardt standing at his window, looking out on the night. He turns, his senses detecting the sheer power that has just entered the room, and to his surprise meets the burning gaze of his escaped slave, whose name he never knew. Murdok's face takes on the expression of a monster that has just hunted down its prey, and he speaks, his voice carrying a hatred unequalled.

"You're afraid, but not nearly enough…'Master'"


End file.
